Bridge for musical instruments



(No Model.)

H E TOWNSEND BRIDGE FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

Patented Aug. 10,1897.

Inventnr.

WltllE' 5 M UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY E. TOW'NSEND, OF GETTYSBURG, SOUTH DAKOTA.

BRIDGE F OR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 587,884, dated August 10, 1897.

Application filed October 21, 1896. Serial No. 609,576. (No model.)

T 0 aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HENRY E. TOWNSEND, a citizen of the United States, residing at Gettysburg,in the county of PottenState of South Dakota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bridges for Musical Instruments; and I do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to stringed musical instruments in general, and more particularly to the bridges thereof, the object being to produce a bridge which will give a purer and sweeter tone than that now employed.

In the drawings forming a portion of this specification and in which like letters of reference indicate similar parts in the several views, Figure l is a front View of my bridge, showing the perforations therein. Fig. 2 is a lateral section of Fig. 1, showing the arrangement of the end pieces, top strip, and one side. Fig. 3 is a section on line 3 3 of Fig. 1, looking to the left.

Referring now to the drawings, in constructing a device in accordance with my invention I provide two end pieces a, the upper ends of which are narrowed transversely in both directions to form feet Z), adapted to bear upon the instrument to which the bridge is applied. Firmly attached to the end pieces is a side piece d, which may be secured in place by gluing or other means, and extendpiece d, said side pieces having perforations f, g, h, and 1', oppositely arranged in pairs. The lower edges of the side pieces interme diate the feet I) are cut away, so as not to bear upon the instrument, and the under side of the bridge between the feet is open.

It will be readily understood that I may vary the particular construction herein shown without departing from the spirit of my invention and that the perforations in the side pieces may have any desired shape and location.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is A hollow bridge comprising end pieces havin g broadened lower extremities forming feet, a top strip connecting the upper extremities of the end pieces and lying flush therewith, and side pieces secured to the end pieces and top strip said side pieces being cut away intermediate the feet and having openings lead ing into the hollow of the bridge.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HENRY E. TOIVNSEND.

IVitnesses:

A. L. ELLIS, V. ARBOUR. 

